In Brief: Fired R.I. Banking Chief Loses Sex-Bias Suit

A former Rhode Island banking superintendent, who was fired in the wake of the state's 1991 banking crisis, has lost a sexual discrimination suit against a former supervisor.

A U.S. District Court jury rejected the claim by Susan Hayes that she was fired by former Department of Business Regulation director Maurice Paradis because she is a woman.

In the 1992 suit, Ms. Hayes had claimed that Mr. Paradis made sexist comments to her, including that she was emotional and not in control of the situation.

Ms. Hayes was suspended with pay in January 1991, four days after the state closed 45 banking institutions. Those institutions held deposits of one of every three Rhode Island residents, according to Steven E. Snow, attorney for Mr. Paradis.

Mr. Paradis took office on the same day the institutions were closed and observed that Ms. Hayes was not handling the crisis well, Mr. Snow said. Ms. Hayes was later fired following an internal investigation.

Ms. Hayes had headed the department from 1986 until her dismissal in 1991, but had served under a succession of business regulation directors. Mr. Snow said none of the directors were pleased with her performance, but they hadn't been in office long enough to take action.

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, click here.
MORE FROM AMERICAN BANKER